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Australian Government
Defence Honours & Awards Tribunal
Inquiry into recognition for Defence Force personnel who served
as peacekeepers from 1947 onwards
The Defence Honours and Awards Tribu nal shall inquire into and report on recognition for
Defence Force person nel who served as peacekeepers from 1947 to the present.
The Tribunal is to report to the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support on its findings
and any recommendations that arise from the inquiry.
The Tribunal invites interested persons and organisations to make a submission to the
Tribunal by Monday, 21 December 2009.
The ter ms of reference and further information on how to make submissions can be obtained
by contacting the Tribu nal on 02 6266 3486, via email at:
DHA.Tribunal@defence.gov.au or from the web at: www.defence-honours-tribu nal.gov.au.
Submissions may be sent to:
Executive Officer
Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal
Locked Bag 7765
CANBERRA BUSINESS CENTRE ACT 2610
A voice for Defence families
DFA's website provides you with a family focused portal on
ADF information. It also provides DFA with the opportunity
to inform and update you on our advocacy role in family
related policy and entitlements.
Register FREE today.
For more information phone 1800 100 509
supporting
defence
families...
www.dfa.org.au
7
News
AIR FORCE November 26, 2009
By Chris Woods
Air Combat Transition Office
AS THE first three of the RAAF's
24 F/A-18F Super Hornets roll off
the Boeing production line in the US,
1SQN is busy preparing to operate the
new aircraft.
The training for 1SQN aircrew and
maintainers at the US Naval Air Station
(NAS) Lemoore is continuing at a rapid
pace.
CO 1SQN WGCDR Glen Braz said
there were now six RAAF aircrew fully
qualified and instructing at the US Navy
(USN) host unit, VFA-122.
"By the end of this year a fur-
ther three aircrew will have completed
their operational conversion training,"
WGCDR Braz said.
FLTLT David Murphy, an air combat
officer, said fast-jet aircrew were always
training and learning.
"The course was fairly intense
because we compressed the Australian
syllabus," he said. "We don't need to
learn carrier landing procedures so we
took a seven-month course and com-
pressed it into 4½ months."
WGCDR Braz said both former classic
Hornet pilots and F-111 crews had transi-
tioned very well to the Super Hornet.
"There is a large volume of infor-
mation to absorb in a short time which
keeps you busy, but our people are used
to working hard," he said.
FLTLT Murphy said working with the
USN instructors had been awesome.
"They are all very experienced opera-
tors and it hasn't just been a one-way
street of them instructing us," FLTLT
Murphy said. "Due to our different back-
grounds and experience levels, the Aussie
aircrews have been able to exchange
ideas and concepts.
"This jet is one of the most advanced
multi-role fighters in the world today and
to be afforded the opportunity to help
stand this capability up is a once-in-a-
lifetime opportunity."
1SQN's Senior Engineering Officer,
SQNLDR Stephen Hoadley, said every-
one was excited about working with the
F/A-18F and focused on how to get the
most out of the new aircraft.
"The modern systems and equipment
bring a lot of opportunities, but also chal-
lenges in ensuring we make the most of
this capability," SQNLDR Hoadley said.
1SQN maintainers started training
under 278SQN instructors at the Centre
for Naval Aviation Technical Training
Unit (CNATTU) at NAS Lemoore in
March this year. Classroom instruction
was followed by on-the-job experience
working on VFA-122's Super Hornets.
CPL Justin Hayden, an avionic tech-
nician, said that going back to the class-
room was definitely a big change and it
took a little while to adjust.
"However, being trained by our own
instructors was great since they had a
good idea of our knowledge levels," CPL
Hayden said.
"The balance of instructor-led and
computer-based training really helped
students get the most out of the course."
At CNATTU, there are also Visual
Environment Maintenance Trainers and
a range of aircraft parts that the students
use to gain an understanding of Super
Hornet systems.
"Working in a mock cockpit with
large display screens allowed us to simu-
late real work practices and helped us
to identify areas of maintenance that
we would have to look at when we got
home," CPL Hayden said.
"Also, having large sections of air-
craft to work on under controlled con-
ditions was a great way to familiarise
ourselves with the aircraft before jump-
ing in the deep end with the US Navy
maintenance team on the flightline."
SQNLDR Hoadley said the first team
of maintenance personnel have now con-
solidated their training through signifi-
cant exposure to the aircraft.
"This gives me every confidence in
our ability to operate and maintain the
Australian Super Hornets," he said.
The 1SQN personnel who are now
back in Australia are developing and
refining procedures to support technical
and operational airworthiness.
WGCDR Braz said the immediate
challenges were refining logistics, setting
up facilities and integrating all aspects of
the work to form an effective capability.
"The training and support we have
received from the USN has been out-
standing," he said. "I'm really looking
forward to returning to Lemoore next
year to bring our first jets home."
Super job,
1SQN
'
FLYING THE FLAG:
Team One from 1SQN
at Naval Air Station
Lemoore near Fresno
in California, where
they are conducting
Super Hornet training.
Photo: courtesy 1SQN
This jet is one of the most
advanced multi-role fighters in the
world today and to be afforded
the opportunity to help stand this
capability up is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity. -- FLTLT David Murphy